Nut blank feeding mechanism



A ril 25, 1933. E. H. INGRAM ET AL NUT BLANK FEEDI-NG MECHANISM 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1951 wwmtou o .ViMA/ April 25, 1933.

E. H. INGRAM ET AL NUT BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed March 9, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 2 a 5 T2 Jag, 54 a 65 26 r I z M6 5 34 27 r '89 Z 529,7?iz, wmmgfi'w f/ E. H.1NGRAM ET AL 1,905,715

NUT BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM April 25, 1935.

Filed March 9, 19:51 7 I 3 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Apr. 25, 1933 EDWARDH. INGRAM, oFPHILADELPIIIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ANnvIoroR'E. PEAMON,

OI BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS. BY SHERBININ Application filed March 9,

This invention relates to a mechanism for feeding nut blanks to amachine whereby the openings in theseblanks are provided with aninternal screw thread, and more particularly to a mechanism which willfeed to a screwthreading or tapping mechanism nut blanks which havepreviously been deflected at the center and are adapted to bestraightened subsequent to the threading operation so that they willoperate to lock themselves on the bolts to which they are applied.

It is the object of this invention to provide simple, efiicient andreliable feeding mechanism for nut blanks of this character which firstselects the nut blanks from a promiscuous mass and delivers them in apredetermined position to an accumulating chamber from which latter thenut blanks are delivered to means whereby the nut blanks are presentedin the proper position for engagement with a screw threading tap withoutliability of the blanks tippingover due to insufficient support and alsowhen subjected to the pressure of the liquid coolant delivered againstthe same during the thread cutting operation.

In the accompanying drawings: I

Figure l is a front elevation partly in section of a nut blank feedingmechanism embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 33 Fig. 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of a deflected hexagonal nut blankand a deflected square nut blank ofithe character which are .to be fedto the tapping mechanism by the feed mechanism of this invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on'line 6-6 Fig. 7.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on line 77Fig.6.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 8-8 Fig. 3,looking inwardly.

Figure 9 is a similar section looking outwardly.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the meansfor position- .to the tapping mechanism while the axis MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO HELEN KOCH DE NUT BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM.

1931. Serial No. 521,084.

ing the nut blanks preparatory to progressing the same to the tappingmechanism.

In the following description similar characters of reference indicatelike parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Although this machine may be organized for feeding nut blanks of variousforms to machines which perform various operations thereon, the presentmachine is more particularly designed for feeding nut blanks to amachine which taps or cuts a screw thread in the opening thereof, eachof said blanks, beforebeing fed to the tapping ma-' chine, having itscentral part deflected along a diametrical line and in the direction ofthe axis of the blank so that upon straightening this nut blank afterbeing tapped, the threads thereof willbe deformed and thereby operate asa lock for holding the nut on the bolt or other part to which it isapplied, such nut blanks being shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 9 and 10. I

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the nut blank is provided across itsdiameter with a deflection 20 extending in the direction of the axis ofthe blank so that this deflection forms an offset on the blank at rightangles to the undeflected wings 21 of the same on opposite sides of thedeflected portion thereof, thereby forming a convex diametrical face 22on one side of the blank and a concave diametrical face 23 on theopposite side thereof. In Fig. 4 the nut blank is provided with ahexagonal periphery 24 while in Fig. 5 the blank is provided with asquare periphery 25 but the contour of the nut blank may be round or ofany other suitable for'm.

It is desirable in threading these nut blanks to feed the same to thetapping mechanism or other -machine which operates thereon byfacingthese blanks always in the same diiection. In the present case ithas been found desirable to feed such blanks of the blank is in linewith that of the screw threading tap or cutting tool and with the convexside of the blank advancing toward the tap.

A plurality of nuts of this character are dumped promiscuously into asupply hopper or reservoir 26 of any suitable construction which ismounted on the main frame 27 of the machine, this hopper being open atthe top for the reception of the blanks and provided on its lower partwith a laterally projecting outlet or neck 28 from which the nut blanksare delivered to the mechanism which selects the blanks and positionsthe same so that they all face in the same direction before beingdelivered to the mechanism which moves the same to the tappingmechanism.

The positioning means include a rotating receptacle or bowl 29 whichturns about a' horizontal axis and comprises a conical body 30 which hasan inlet 31 at its small end communicating with the outlet of thehopper, and a disk-shaped head 32 which extends across the large end ofthe body and turns therewith. Various means may be provided forrotatably supporting the body and head of the positioning bowl orreceptacle and turning the same, but those shown in the drawings havebeen found satisfactory and consist of a horizontal longitudinal shaft33 passing centrally through the head and body of the bowl and journaledat its inner end in a bearing 34 on the bottom of the feed hopper whileits outer or front end is journaled in a bearing 35 arranged outside ofthe bowl and mounted on the adjacent part of the main frame, a ratchetwheel 36 secured to the front end of the operating shaft, a ratchetlever 37 pivotally mounted on the shaft 33 and provided on one of itsarms with a spring-pressed ratchet pawl 38 engaging with the ratchet, ashifting rod 39 passing through the other arm of the lever 37 andyieldingly connected therewith by means of a spring 40 surrounding thisrod and interposed between the lever 37 and a collar 41 which isadjustably connected with this rod, and a rotary driving shaft 42journaled in the lower part of the main frame and provided with aneccentric 43 which engages with an eccentric strap 44 on the lower endof the shifting rod, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The body of thepositioning bowlis secured to the shaft 33 by means of a hub 45 securedto this shaft by means of a set screw 46 and connected by arms 47'withthe adjacent part of the bowl body, and the head of the bowl is providedwith a central collar 48 which is secured to the shaft 33 by means of aset screw 49.

During the rotary motion of the driving shaft 42 the ratchet lever isoscillated and thereby causes the pawl 38 and ratchet wheel 36 tointermittently rotate the positioning bowl or drum step by step in thedirection of the arrow shown in connection with this bowl in Figs. 1, 8and 9. y

The nut blanks pass from the lower end of the feed hopper through theinlet of the positioning bowl into the lower part thereof Where they arearranged promiscuously and as the positioning bowl rotates some of theseblanks are picked up and acted upon by positioning means on theperiphery of the bowl so that these blanks all have their convex sidesfacing inwardly and their concave sides facing outwardly and will bedeliveredin this position from the bowl. For this purpose the bowl isprovided at its periphery between the marginal parts of the head of'thebowl and the large end of the conical body thereof with an annular rowof positioning openings each of which in the present case corresponds incross section to the contour of the nut blanks which are to be fed. Inthe present case these openings, as best shown in Fig. 10, are so formedthat the same consist of two circumferential end portions 50, a convexface 51 of rounded form extending rearwardly from the central part ofthe front wall of. the positioning opening, and a concave face 52extending forwardly from the central part of the rear wall of therespective opening.

These positioning openings are preferably formed between a pair ofhardened steel rings 53, 54 which are removably mounted on the opposingsides of the head and body of the positioning bowl so as to permit ringsof this character having one form or size of positioning openings to bereplaced by similar rings having different forms or sizes of positioningopenings, and thereby enable the same machine to be used for feeding nutblanks of different shape andsize to suit different requirements. Thefront positioning ring 53 is preferably seated against an outwardlyfacing shoulder 55 formed on the inner side of the disk and detachablysecured thereto by means of bolts 56 and the rear positioning ring 54 isprovided on its rear side with an annular rib 57 which engages with aninwardly facing shoulder 58 on the large end of the bowl body and isdetachably connected with the latter by means of bolts 59, as shown inFig. 3. The positioning openings between the rings 53, 54 are preferablyformed by providing the rear side of the front ring 53 at intervals withrearwardly projecting lugs 60, and engaging the rear ends of these lugsby the front side of the'rear ring 54 so that the latter extends acrossthe spaces between the several lugs and thereby forms the positioningopenings therebetween. V

As the nut blanks arranged within the lower part of the positioning bowlare tumbled around by the rotary movement of this bowl those blankswhich are in the proper register with one or another of the positioningopenings will be unable to enter such an opening. Each of the blanks inorder to enter one of the positioning openings must be so arrangedrelative thereto that its deflected central part registers its concaveand convex faces respectively with the convex and concave faces of oneof the positioning openings While the wings of the blank are in linewith the end parts of the respective positioning opening. \Vhile theblank is in this position the same is free to enter the respectivepositioning opening, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Those nut blanks whichare not in the proper position to enter a positioning opening in thelower part of the bowl are carried idly upward from the lower part ofthe bowl into the upper part of the same where these blanks are againreturned into the top of the pile or mass of blanks within the bowl andmingle with the remaining blanks therein, and sooner or later assume aposition in which they are properly aligned with the positioningopeningsof the bowl and enter the same preparatory to being dischargedtherefrom.

Due to slight variation" in theform of the nut blanks some of them areliable to become stuck in thepositioning openings instead of beingdischarged from the outer ends thereof and for this reason means are Iprovided for automatically dislodging such openings while the same areon the upper nut blanks from the positioning openings, which meansare soorganized that the nut blanks are ejected from the positioning side ofthe positioning bowl and the'dislodged 'nut blanks are returned to themterior of the same.

This is preferably accomplished by means. of a star-shaped ejector ordislodging wheel.

which is mounted with its hub 61 on a spindie or shaft 62 arrangedhorizontally and lengthwise above the positioning bowl and supported atits rear end-in bearings 63 on the front side of the'hopper and atitsfront end in a bearing 64 onrthe main frame, and saiddislodgingwheelhaving an annular row of teeth 65 which are adapted toengage successively with the positioning openings of the bowlfrom theouter side thereof. As. the positioning bowl turns the dislodging wheelis also turned therewith inthe manner of intermeshing gear Wheels sothat the teeth of the dislodging wheel engage successively with thepositioning openings of the bowl and cause any -nut blanks which may beIt has been found in practice that in the absence of any provision toprevent it, the

mass of nuts in the corner between the lowermost part of the body' ofthe bowl and the head thereof is liable to become jammed therein due tothe wedging actionof the downwardlyconverging f surfaces of. the bowl atthis point which interferes withthe free movement of the nut blanks intothe positioning openings along the lower part of the'periphery of thebowl. To avoid this, an

annular baflle flange 66 is provided which is formed on the rearpositioning ring 54 and projects inwardly toward the axis of the bowl soas to form an annularchannel 67 between therear side of this baffle andthe adjacent large end of the-body'of the bowl, and also forming anannular clearance space or passage 68 between the front side of thisbattle andthe inner side of the bowl head, as shown in Fig. 3. By meansof this baille the nut blanks resting directly against the lowermostpart of the'large end of the bowl body are held away from the lowermostpart of the'head of the bowl whereby those blanks arranged at a distancefrom the lowermost register with the same on the lower part of. the bowlwill drop out from the; outer or lower endsof these positioningopeningsand into engagement with, a curved land 69 which is arrangedclose to and. extends circumferentially along the outlet ends of thepositioning openings from a pointabout horizontally in line with theaxis of the drum downwardly .to a point short of a vertical lineextending. through this axis.

As the bowl during its rotary movement carries its positioningopeningspast this stationary-land any nut blanks within the positioningopeningswillrest on this land and slide circumferentially over the sameso that the nut blanks still remain in the positioning openings at thistime until they reach a guiding channel 70 which extends from'the lowerend of the land circumferentially around the periphery of. the bowl inline with the positioning openings thereof and in a directioncorresponding to the direction of rotation of the bowl. e p

As the nut blanks in the positioning o enmgs of the bowl successivelyreach this 0 anoel the samedrop out of these openingsand mtothechanneland are carried along the bottom of this channel which is arrangedsubstantially tangentialrelative to the periphery of the bowl. Thismovement of the blanks is effected by engagement of each following nutblank with the preceding blank so that those blanks which have beendischarged from the bowl into the guiding channel will move inprocession through this channel to the outer end of the latter. Uponreaching the outer end of the guiding channel the nut blanks drop into adelivery chute having an upper inclined section 71 which communicates atits upper end with the outcr end of the guiding channel and a lowervertical section 72 which connnunicates at its upper end with the lowerend of the inclined section, while its lower end terminates above theplace where the nut blanks are received and supported preparatory tobeing moved to the tapping or threading mechanism.

\Vhen the nuts are supplied by the positioning mechanism to the deliverychute as fast as the tapping and threading mechanism takes the blanksaway from the lower end of the delivery chute, then the positioned nutblanks pass more or less regularly from the guiding channel 70 directlyinto the upper end of the delivery chutesection 71. If however thepositioning mech-' anism picks out more nut blanks at any particulartime than the tapping mechanism disposes of, then such excess number of'positioned blanks will be temporarily stored in an accumulating chamber7 3 which forms an upward extension of the outer end of the guidingchannel 70 and the upper end of the delivery chute 71 and extendscircumferentially around the ascending part of the bowl at the peripherythereof to a point preferably slightly above a line extendinghorizontally through the axis of the positioning bowl, as shown in Figs.1, 8 and 9. The width of this accumulating chamber is the same as thewidth of the guiding channel 70, which widtl: is sufficient to permitthe nut blanks to more freely sidewise in the same position in whichthey leave the positioning openings of the bowl, but prevent the samefrom tilting or becoming disarranged, thereby insuring maintaining thenut blanks always in the position in which the. convex faces of theirdeflectedcentral parts project rearwardly.

If for a time the positioning mechanism should miss in selecting orpositioning a number of blanks corresponding to the number which are fedto the tapping mechanism, then the nut blanks for maintaining thecontinuity to the tapping mechanism will be withdrawn from those whichhave accumulated in the chamber 73. This accumulating chamber is of suchsize that it will accommodate a sufficient number of positioned nutblanks as will insure against interrupting a may be employed inconnection with the nut blank feeding mechanism above described, thatshown in the drawings comprises a stationary tap or threading tool 74which is arranged horizontally and in rear of the place below the lowerend of the blank delivery chute where the blanks come to rest afterbeingdischarged from the chute preparatory to being moved to the tap.

The pushing of the nut blank from the place of deposit below thedelivery chute is effected in the present case by means whic include ahorizontally movable plunger l9 which is retracted into a position infront of the lower end of the passage of the chute. After a nut blankhas been deposited in front of this plunger, the latter is movedforwardly into engagement with the blank when the latter. is pushedforwardly against the tap, whereby the cutting edges of the same form athread in the bore of the nut blank, after which the feeding plunger isagain retracted and the nut blank is caused to move lengthwise towardthe tail or shank of the tap by reason of the propelling effect of thethreads of the tap in the manner which is Well-known in this art.

The rotary movement of the nut blank while engaging the tap is effectedby means of a hollow or tubular chuck 75 which surrounds the tap andengages the periphery of the nut blank soas to compel the latter to turnwith the chuck, this chuck being journaled in suitable bearings 76 onthe adjacentpart of the main frame. A rotary movement is imparted to thechuck by means which include a gear wheel 77 secured to the exterior ofthe chuck, as shown in Fig. 3.

In addition to pushing the nut blank from a point below the deliverychute to the threading tap the plunger also serves to conduct a coolantagainst the nut and the tap for the purpose of lubricating these partsduring the cutting operation and also preventing the same from becomingunduly heated. For this purpose the plunger is made hollow as shown andmeans are provided for forcing a liquid coolant of any suitablecharacter through the plunger, which coolant flows forwardly through theplunger and is discharged against the nut blanks and the adjacent partsof the tapping mechanism.

Means are provided below the lower end of the delivery chute for holdingthe nut blanks in an upright position and preventing the samefromtipping either due to insutlicient support at the lower end of theblank if the latter is comparatively thin and the pressure of thecoolant against the same, thereby enabling the plunger to always pushthe nut blank toward the tap in alignment with that of the latter. Thepreferred; con

struction of this retaining device isasfollows: I T a The numeral78"1'epresents a stationary base arranged on the main frame below thelower end of the delivery chute and ate,

point between the path of the plunger.

- On its upper side this base is provided with a half-round recess 79which receives themeans which arrest the downward movement of the nutblanks as they issue'fromthe. lower end of the delivery chute and alsosupport this blank preparatory to moving the same toward the threadingtap by means ofthe feeding plunger; This retaining device comprises twosemi-(glindrical'sections' which together form a ametrically splitvsleeve, the joint of which extends lengthwise and vertically. The rearparts 80 of these two retaining sections are of semi-cylindrical formand together eonstitute a complete", cylinder which is arranged; in rearofthe passage way of the delivery chute,and the front parts 81 of thesesections are quartercircle form and together constitute a semi-1*cylinder, as shown in Figs. 6' and 7; These two semicircular sections ofthe retaining device are pivoted at their lower ends 'on the bottom ofthe recess in the base so that these sections can move toward and from.each other, this pivotal connection being effected preferably by meansof keys 82 see cured to the lower ends of these retaining;

sections and engaging,with bearin s 83 in the lower part of the recess79 in t e base.

These two retaining sections are yieldingly moved toward each other andheld in this position by spring means which preferably consist of twoshifting pins 84 slidin in guideways 85 on opposite sides of the Tmeeand engaging their inner ends with hearing recesses 86 on the outersides of the retaining sections, and springs 87 arranged in the rearparts of the guideways 85 and engaging their inner ends against theouter ends of the shifting pins while their outer ends engage screwplugs 88 secured in the ad'acent parts of the base, as best shown in ig..6. After each nut blank drops from the lower end of the delivery chutethe same lands in the concave supporting surface 89 formed between thefront parts 81 of the two retaining sections. The supporting surface-89which is engaged by the underside of the nut blank at this time is ofsomewhat larger diameter than the diameter-of the opening 90 which isformed between the rear parts a of the retaining sections, therebyproducing front. partsof the retainer sections,the same .is incapable oftipping rearwardly toward the tap by reason of the annular. shoulder 91on the retainer sections, and this nut .blankfiS. also incapableoftilting forwardly vdue to\t hefront end oflthe plunger being.sutficiently close to the nut blank while in its retracted position atthis time, as shown inFig. 7 H

Upon now moving the plunger toward the tap, theadvancing end ofthe, samewill,

engage the frontside of the nutblank and push the same through theretainer sections and against the tap, during which time the retainersections will be expanded by engagement ofthe nut blank withthe inclinedshoulder between the large front diameter and" the small rear diameter-in the bore thereof. After the blank has been pushed rearwardly towardthe tap a suffieient extent to clear the retainer sections, the latterare again moved toward each other by the action ofthe return springs, 87so that the retainer sections are in the proper position for receivingthe next following nut blank from the delivery chute and holding thesame against tiplping out of place preparav tory to being fe toward thetap orthread ing tool during the next following forwardmotion of theplunger. v

This retaining device therefore positively prevents the nut blanks fromgetting out of alignment or tipping out'of place. regardless of whetherthe nut blanks are thick or thin and thereby insures proper presentationof the nut blanks to the tap and avoids waste which would otherwise be.caused by feeding nut blanks improperly to thetap, as

well as avoiding injury to the machine.

We claim as our invention: v LA mechanism for' feeding nut blanks whichare provided with a diametrical deflection across the central partsthereof, comprising a rotarybowl of conical form into the small endsofwhich nut blanks are introduced promiscuously intosaid bowl, two

positioning rings mounted opposite each other on the periphery of thelarge end of said. bowl and having their opposing surfaces: constructed,to orin an annular row of positioning openings through which the nutblanks are adaptedto pass from the in- 1 terior ofthe bowl totheexterior thereof,-the

corresponding. sides of the openings in one of said rings having con-vexfaces and the corresponding sides of the openings in the other ringhaving concave faces conforming to the shape of the nut blanks being fedthe large end of said bowl bein provided with means to prevent thenut's'trom'falling out of this end of the bowl. I f 2. A mechanismforfeeding nut blanks v t n I Q which are provided with a diametricalde- 10 fiection across the central partsthereof, comprising a rotarybowl of conical-form into the small end of which nut' blanks areintrojduced proniiscuously into said'bo'wl, two positioning ringsmounted Opposite each other on the periphery of the large end of said ibowl and having their opposing surfaces constructed to form an annularrow of positioning openings through which the nut blanks are adapted topass from the interior of the bowl to the exterior thereof, thecorresponding sides oft-he openings in one of said rings having convexfaces and the corresponding sides of the-openings in the other ringhaving concave faces conforming to the shape of the nut blanks beirufed, and said rings being interchangeable tor others having difi'erentsizes of openings the large end of said bowl being provided with meansto prevent the nuts from falling out of this 80 end of the bowl. 7 a

3. Amechanism for feeding nut blanks which are provided withadiametrical deflection across the central parts thereof, comprising arotary bowl adapted to' receive a 36 promiscuous mass of such blanksandhaw ing a conical body provided at its small end,

of the openings in one of said rings having convex faces and thecorresponding sides of the openings 111 the other rlng having concavefaces conforming to the shape of the blanks to be fed, and an annularbaflle flange extending radially inward from the positioning ring whichis next to'the large end of the conical body of thebowl, and forming aninternal annular channel therebetween;

5. A machine for feeding nut blanks comprising a rotary bowl adapted toreceive promiscuously a mass of nut blanks to be'fed and provided withan annular row ofopenings through which the blanks are adapted to passfrom the interior to the exterior of the bowl, and means for ejectingany nut blanks which may become stuck in said openings including arotary wheel arranged externally of the bowl and provided with anannular row of teeth which are adapted to mesh successively with theopenings in said bowl and push any blanks caught therein back into thebowl, the large'end of said bowl being provided with means to preventthe nuts from falling out of this end of the bowl.

In testimony signatures.

whereof We hereby aflix our EDWARD H. INGRAM. VICTOR E. PEARSON.

with a blank inlet and a disk'head arranged across the large end of thebody opposing positioning rings mounted on the'peripheral 4 parts of thehead and the large endof said body and having their opposing sidesconstructed to form an annular row of post tioning openings throughwhich the blanks are adapted to pass from the interior to the exteriorof thebowl, the corresponding sides of the o enings in one of said ringshaving convex aces and the corresponding sides of the openings in theother ring having concave faces conforming to the shape of the blanks tobe fed. y

4. A mechanism for feeding nut blanks which are provided-With adiametrical dcflection across thecentral parts thereof, com- ,prising arotary bowladapted to receive a j 5 promiscuous mass of such blanks andhaving a conical body providedatits small end with a blank inlet and adisk head arranged across the large end of the-body, opposingpositioning rings mounted on the peripheral parts of the head and thelarge end of said body and having their opposing sides constructed toform an annular row of positioning openings thronghwhich the blanksarerad apted to pass from the interior to the exterior of the bowl, thecorresponding sides

